Process of manufacturing gas.



H. W. ABBNNBR. PBOGESS `01:" MANUFAOTUBING GAS. n APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1907. Y 899,690, Patented Sept. 29, 1908` llmll: TH MWQ mtl 1 .hlll :F: wt

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HENRY WE *B specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application med February 2, 1907. serai No. 355,387.

Chambersburg, county of Franklin, and' State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Manufacturing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gas commonly used for illuminating and heating pur oses, and has for its object to manufacture t ie same by a continuous operation at a greatly reduced cost of production. y

I manufacture Water gas by passing steam, preferably superheated, through a bed of coke heated by an external source of heat, and pass the hoty gas up through an externally heated vertical retort. Powdered coal is allowed to fall through this vertical retort with the result that rich coal gas is distilled out of the coal While it is falling and while the rising water gas is in intimate contact with the coal. This rich coal gas and some of the hydrocarbons in the tar vapors serve to carburet both the water gas and the leaner coal gas made by further distillation. The coal, While falling through the Avertical retort, becomes partly coked, and falls on the hot coke bed at the bottom of the retort, and there Whichymay be used in carrying' out my process.

A is a vertical retort opening into a horizontal retort B at its lower end. Both of these retorts are heated by the furnace C, which ma be of any desired type, using any suitable kind of fuel.

The steam pipe D leads into the horizontal retort B, and isl provided with a valve d. The steam may be siperheated by passing it through the drum within the furnace. At the top of the vertical retort is the double hopper E, E", separated by the gate e. The lower hopper E is provided with the adjustable valve a to control the flow of powdered coal into the retort. rl`he upper hopper is emptied into the lower hopper from time to` time to keep a constant supply therein. The gases are withdrawn through the pipe l? at the top of the retort andconveyed to the hydraulic main G. The coke may be withdrawn through the mouth piece H.

The operation is as follows. The horizontal retort and the lower part of the vertical retort may be filled with coke and brought to the desired temperature by external heat, or, instead of using an initial charge of coke, coal may be used either by admitting powdered coal from the hopper or by an initial charge of coal. If coal is used it must be partly or completely distilled before the manufacture of water gas is commenced. In either case, however, as soon as a bed of hot coke is secured, superheated steam is admitted to the horizontal retort and powdered coal to the vertical retort. The owdered coal first gives up its richer gases, ZI-I4, and tar vapors, and as distillation proceeds, to some extent after the powdered coal has fallen on the coke bed, it gives up the leaner gases CIL, leaving a mass of incandescent coke. The superheated steam is forced through this bed of incandescent coke and becomes decomposed, forming water gas. This Water gas, together with the leaner gases from the coal, both at a high temperature, rises through the vertical retort in intimate contact With the falling powderedI coal, thereby assisting in cracking up the falling coal, and also combining with the illuminants in the tar vapors given'off by the distilling coal. The amount of carbon taken from the coke will depend upon the amount of steam admitted to the retort, and it is not my intentionto rob the coke of more than say twenty per cent. of its carbon, and in some cases as low as five per cent., as the coke is valuable as a byroduct. The process is continuous, and a ter once started and adjusted, the apparatus requires but little attention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The vprocess of manufacturing gas con- E-NER; oF'cHAMBERsBURG, PENNsYLvAMarassioNoR To i-Nfrnmnosn sisting of formin Water as, passin the Wadistillng chamber, and collecting the prodter gas throu pow ered coa falling ucts. 10 through a distil ing chamber, and collecting In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set the products. my hand thislst day of January, 1907.

2. The process of manufacturing gas con- HENRY W. BEN NER.

'sisting of passing steam through a hed of hot Witnesses:

coke to form Water gas, passin the Water gas W. S. HALLETT, up through powdered coal fal ing through a O. F. BRUNER. 

